Southern University Law Center

Southern University Law Center is a public law school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is part of the historically black Southern University System and was opened for instruction in September 1947. It was authorized by the Louisiana State Board of Education as a Law School for blacks to be located at Southern University, a historically black college, and to open for the 1947-1948 academic session.

Southern University Law Center
Seal[1]
Established1947
School typepublic law school
DeanJohn K. Pierre
LocationBaton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
Enrollment452 Full- and 170 Part-Time[2]
Faculty36 Full- and 99 Part-Time[2]
Bar pass rate63.24% (July 2019 first-time takers)[3]
Websitewww.sulc.edu

The Law Center offers full-time, part-time, and evening programs. For students who want to pursue the JD and MPA, the school offers a joint-degree program in cooperation with the Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Southern. SULC's students learn two different systems of law: Louisiana is a civil law jurisdiction (in the tradition of France and Continental Europe), while law in every other state is based on the British common-law tradition.

A study-abroad program is offered in London, in which students take courses with international subject matter. SULC publishes two legal journals: its traditional Law Review and The Journal of Race, Gender and Poverty.

According to SULC's 2019 ABA-required disclosures, 43.9% of the Class of 2019 obtained full-time, long-term, bar passage-required employment ten months after graduation, excluding solo practitioners.[4]

History

In 1946, Charles J. Hatfield, III, an African-American veteran of Louisiana, applied to Louisiana State University Law School, the only state school that offered a law degree. Although he was academically qualified, he was rejected because of his race, as the state system was segregated. Hatfield filed suit against the state for rejecting his application. While he did not win in court, the State Board of Education decided to found a law school for African Americans.[5]

The State Board of Education responded by deciding at its January 10, 1947, meeting to found a law school at Southern University to serve African-American students, to open in September of that year. On June 14, 1947, the Board of Liquidation of State Debt appropriated $40,000 for the operation of the school. The Southern University Law School was officially opened in September 1947 to provide legal education for African-American students in the state. After 38 years of operation as a School of Law, the Southern University Board of Supervisors re-designated the school as the Southern University Law Center.

From 1972 to 1974, the law school dean was Louis Berry, a civil rights attorney originally from Alexandria, Louisiana.[6]

Today, the law school is one of only two public law schools in the state. Its student body is the most diverse in the state of Louisiana.

Accreditation

The Law Center program is accredited by the American Bar Association, the Supreme Court of Louisiana, the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Association of American Law Schools. It is approved also by the Veterans Administration for the training of eligible veterans.

Clinical program

The clinical education program at Southern University Law Center is ranked by the American Bar Association as 42nd out of 216 clinical education programs nationally. At Southern University Law Center, clinical education is available to second and third-year students but not required.

  • Administrative/Civil Law Clinic
  • Criminal Law Clinic
  • Domestic Violence Clinic
  • Elder Law Clinic
  • Juvenile Law Clinic
  • Low-income Taxpayer Clinic
  • Mediation Clinic

Physical plant

Housed in the 93,400-square-foot (8,680 m2) A. A. Lenoir Hall, the Law Center's program of study is designed to ensure that students graduate with a comprehensive knowledge of civil law and common law. Though emphasis is given to the substantive and procedural law of Louisiana, with its French and Spanish origins, Anglo-American law is integrated into the curriculum.

Employment

According to SULC's official 2019 ABA-required disclosures, 43.87% of the Class of 2019 obtained full-time, long-term, bar passage-required employment ten months after graduation, excluding solo-practitioners.[4] SULC's Law School Transparency under-employment score is 19.4%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2018 unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation.[7]

ABA Employment Summary for 2019 Graduates[4]
Employment Status Percentage
Employed - Bar Passage Required
 
 43.87%
Employed - J.D. Advantage
 
 13.55%
Employed - Professional Position
 
 20.00%
Employed - Non-Professional Position
 
 2.58%
Employed - Law School/University Funded
 
 0.0%
Employed - Undeterminable
 
 0.0%
Pursuing Graduate Degree Full Time
 
 3.87%
Employed - Start Date Deferred
 
 0.0%
Unemployed - Not Seeking
 
 1.29%
Unemployed - Seeking
 
 8.39%
Employment Status Unknown
 
 1.29%
Total of 155 Graduates

Costs

The total cost of full-time attendance (indicating the cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses) at SULC for the 2019-2020 academic year is $19,010 for Louisiana Residents and $31,610 for non-residents.[8] The Law School Transparency estimated debt-financed cost of attendance for three years is $156,305 for residents and $205,106 for non-residents.[8]

Recognition
  • Ranking among the "Best Law Schools for Public Service" in 2012 by PreLaw Magazine.[9]
  • Ranking first among law schools awarding "Law Degrees With Most Financial Value at Graduation" in 2011 by U.S. News & World Report.[10]

Notable alumni
  • Mike Foster (2004) -- former Governor of Louisiana
  • Rick Gallot — Tenth president of Grambling State University and Democrat member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature: House (2000-2012), Senate (2012-2016)[11]
  • Kip Holden (1985) -- Mayor of Baton Rouge (2005–2016)
  • Jeff Cox, judge of the 26th Judicial District in Bossier and Webster parishes since 2005[12]
  • Michael Owens Craig, judge of the 26th Judicial District Court since 2009[13]
  • Stephen Dwight (c. 2003) - Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 35 in Calcasieu and Beauregard parishes since 2016[14]
  • Cleo Fields (1987) - politician, former United State Congressman for Louisiana's 4th Congressional District 1993-1997, former gubernatorial candidate
  • Stephanie A. Finley (1991), United States Attorney
  • Randal Gaines — member of the Louisiana House since 2012 for St. Charles and St. John the Baptist parishes[15]
  • John Michael Guidry, circuit court judge since 1997 and former member of both houses of the Louisiana legislature from Baton Rouge[16]
  • Marcus Hunter (2005) -- current judge-elect of the Louisiana 4th Judicial District Court. Former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 17 in Ouachita Parish
  • Edward C. James — member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 101 in East Baton Rouge Parish since 2012[17]
  • Faith Jenkins -- Miss Louisiana 2000, Miss America 2001 first runner-up, attorney, legal analyst, and TV personality.
  • Edmond Jordan—member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 29 in West and East Baton Rouge parishes since 2016[18]
  • Jay Luneau (1992) -- member of the Louisiana State Senate from Alexandria since 2016
  • Sherman Q. Mack (1999) -- District 95 state representative[19]
  • Robert M. Marionneaux (1995) -- Louisiana State Representative from District 18 from 1996–2000, Louisiana State Senator from District 17 from 2000 to 2012.
  • Jonathan W. Perry (1998) -- State representative from Vermilion and Cameron parishes.
  • Rick Ward, III - Louisiana state senator from District 17; native and resident of Iberville Parish
  • Meshea Poore—member of the West Virginia House of Delegates[20]
  • Terry Reeves - district attorney for Winn Parish (1991-2005)
  • Jesse N. Stone, Jr. (1950) -- Louisiana Supreme Court Associate Justice, Chancellor of SULC 1971-72, President of SU System 1975-85, civil rights attorney, and political leader.
  • Ledricka Thierry (2003) -- politician, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for St. Landry Parish since 2009[21]
  • Alfred C. Williams (1977) -- Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for East Baton Rouge Parish since 2012; Baton Rouge attorney and former school board member
  • Ebony Woodruff—state representative for Jefferson Parish since 2013[22]
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References
  1. "Law School Profiles". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  2. "ABA School Data" (PDF). Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  3. "SULC Bar Exam Statistics" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-05-22.
  4. "Section of Legal Education, Employment Summary Report" (PDF). SULC. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  5. Miriam Childs, "Chief Honored at SULC 70th Anniversary", De Novo (Newsletter of the Law Library of Louisiana), Vol. 14, Issue 3, Fall 2017; accessed 18 June 2018
  6. Leona W. Smith, St. Landry-Up From Slavery Then Came the Fire!!, p. 33. Bloomington, Indiana: Author House, 2011. 2011-09-21. ISBN 978-1-4567-6032-8. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  7. "Southern University Law Center Profile". Law School Transparency. Retrieved 25 Feb 2020.
  8. "Law School Transparency SULC". Law School Transparency. Retrieved 25 Feb 2020.
  9. "10 Best Law Schools for Public Service". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
  10. "10 Law Schools with Most Financial Value". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  11. "Richard Gallot, Jr. Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  12. "Judge Jeff Cox". 26jdc.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  13. "Judge Mike Craig". Louisiana 26th Judicial District Court. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  14. "Stephen Dwight". Facebook. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  15. "Randal L. Gaines' Biography" Check |url= value (help). Project Vote Smart. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  16. "Judge John Michael Guidry receives new position". ladatanews.com. May 20, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  17. "Edward C. "Ted" James, II". house.louisiana.gov. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  18. "Edmond Jordan Announces Candidacy for Louisiana House District 29". swagher.net. July 15, 2015. Archived from the original on May 8, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  19. "Rep. Sherman Q. Mack". house.louisiana.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
  20. "Kanawha delegate Poore says she'll run for Congress - Statehouse News - Charleston Daily Mail - West Virginia News and Sports". Dailymail.com. July 9, 2013. Archived from the original on July 10, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
  21. "Ledricka Thierry's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  22. "Ebony Woodruff". house.louisiana.gov. Missing or empty |url= (help)

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